People & Organizations
My personality would best be described with the use of the five-factor theory of personality. This theory describe five distinct traits all brought in one. In my own opinion, I have a personality that is under the extroversion factor. This is because I tend to interact freely among all people, be it acquaintances, strangers, enemies, or friends (Allport & Odbert 2006). In addition, this trait describes a talkative person who has energy, which is a trait that I possess. Furthermore, whenever, I am in the company of my friends I like being the centre of attention; not being challenged, or being opposed when making distinctive decisions. Hence, this means I am strongly associated with extroversion factor in the personality theory.
Also, to a smaller extent the other trait, I find myself having, categorized under the five-factor theory of personality is agreeableness (McCrae & Costa 1997). I find that I like supporting others, and like teamwork in order to attain a common goal. In addition, I am focused on certain targets that I intend to achieve in my lifetime; thus believe that I possess the trait of agreeableness in me. With reference to this trait, I also like to be recognized whenever I perform a certain duty, in that, I love being rewarded for the tasks that I perform. When working as a team, I find that most of the team members can trust me to accomplish certain duties. On the other hand, I always make sure that I complete the task in hand before undertaking another task, which is also a trait exhibited in agreeableness. In addition, I recognize the chain of command in a team where I follow the instructions given by the team leader or the team supervisor without having to oppose them.
Therefore, in most organizations, there exists two types of rewards; extrinsic and intrinsic rewards (Sansone 2000). The main difference between the two types of rewards is that extrinsic rewards are tangible or physical rewards given to employees on the basis of their performance; while, on the other hand, intrinsic rewards are intangible rewards such as recognition given to employees for doing something right (Cameron 2006). A theory of motivation that can be used to best describe these rewards is the cognitive evaluation theory (Matt 2010). In this theory, the motivating factors are divided into two distinctive groups; intrinsic motivators and extrinsic motivators. According to Matt (2010) some of the examples used to describe intrinsic motivators are achievement, responsibility and competence. Hence, through the given examples, an individual can feel satisfied with the work that he/she is performing. Thus, workers are motivated to perform perfectly in future jobs.
On the other hand, the examples of extrinsic motivators include increased pay, promotions, and better working conditions (Matt 2010). In this case, individuals are fully motivated to work better on future jobs when given extrinsic motivators such as those above mentioned. The extrinsic and intrinsic rewards are essential to me because they help me understand that the job I am performing is and will be recognized; thus motivate me to work harder. In addition, these rewards are extremely beneficial because they help me in decision making considering that the decisions I make will determine the rewards that I will get. Therefore, these rewards are vital in determining the quality and quantity of work that I will be carrying out.
My preferred role on a team is the leader, while my back up role on the team is being the supervisor. Some of the impacts that being a leader may have on a working team is that, the leader will determine the quantity and quality of work to be carried out by the rest of the team (Simons 2006). In most of the teams, the leadership position is one of the most significant positions on the entire team. It is also crucial to note that, the team member will always look up to the team leader in case there is any problem; thus the team leader must be quick in developing remedies for problems that may arise. Another major impact that a leader must have on the team is that, the leader must be able to establish shared ownership for the final results (Simons 2006). In the case where the results are not favourable, the leader should be able to take all the blame on behalf of the whole team, and in the case where the results are favourable, the leader is to share ownership of the results with the whole team. On the other hand, the impact of being a supervisor may have on the team is that, the supervisor must always look out for minor mistakes and correct them. This is considering the supervisor will be answerable to the overall leader in case of anything (Lane 2008). In addition, the supervisor must be well equipped with enough knowledge to help in problem solving.
References
Allport, G & Odbert, H 2006, ‘Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study’, Psychological Monographs, vol. 47 no. 211, pp. 37-56.
Cameron, J 2006, Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation, California: Sage Publishers.
Cattell, R 2005, The scientific analysis of personality, Baltimore: Penguin Books.
Eysenck, H 2002, ‘Four ways five factors are not basic’, Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 13 no. 1, pp. 667-673.
Lane, P 2008, The Leadership Experience, New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
McCrae, R & Costa, P 1997, ‘Personality trait structure as a human universal’, American Psychologist, vol. 52 no. 1, pp. 509-516.
Sansone, C 2000, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation, Ohio: Cengage Learning.
Boeree, C 2006, Personality Theories, viewed 25 October 2012, Available in: <http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/allport.html>
Matt, D 2010, Theories of Motivation, viewed 25 October 2012, Available in: <www.analytictech.com/mb021/motivation.htm>
Simons, V 2006, Roles on a Team, viewed 25 October 2012, Available in: <humancapital.doe.gov/resources/leader.pdf>
